Agastache cana cultivar Sinning.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Agastache plant, botanically known as Agastache cana, commercially known as Hyssop, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Sinningxe2x80x99.
The new Agastache is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Denver, Colo. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Agastaches with improved plant habit and flowering characteristics.
The new Agastache originated from a cross made by the Inventor in August, 1999 of an unnamed proprietary seedling selection of Agastache cana, not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with an unnamed proprietary seedling selection of Agastache cana, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. The new Agastache was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Denver, Colo., on the basis of its uniform plant and flowering habit in August, 1999.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Denver, Colo. since September, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Agastache are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Sinning have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and culture such as temperature, light intensity, and daylength without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Sinningxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Sinningxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Uniform, compact and upright plant habit.
2. Freely branching growth habit.
3. Early flowering.
4. Numerous purple-colored tubular flowers positioned close together on erect flowering spikes.
5. Fragrant foliage and flowers.
6. Excellent garden performance.
In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Denver, Colo., plants of the new Agastache differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Agastache were more compact and not as vigorous as plants of the female parent.
2. Plants of the new Agastache had more uniform branching than plants of the female parent.
3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Agastache were more compact and had more flowers per length of flowering spike than inflorescences of plants of the female parent.
4. Foliage and flowers of plants of the new Agastache were more fragrant than foliage and flowers of plants of the female parent.
In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Denver, Colo., plants of the new Agastache differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Agastache were more compact and not as vigorous as plants of the male parent.
2. Plants of the new Agastache had stronger lateral branches than plants of the male parent.
3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Agastache were more compact and had more flowers per length of flowering spike than inflorescences of plants of the male parent.
4. Foliage and flowers of plants of the new Agastache were more fragrant than foliage and flowers of plants of the male parent.
Plants of the new Agastache can be compared to plants of the cultivar Heather Queen, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Denver, Colo., plants of the new Agastache and the cultivar Heather Queen differed in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Agastache were more compact and not as vigorous as plants of the cultivar Heather Queen.
2. Plants of the new Agastache had more uniform branching than plants of the cultivar Heather Queen.
3. Leaves of plants of the new Agastache had lighter green-colored upper surfaces and less purple coloration on the lower surfaces than plants of the cultivar Heather Queen.
4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Agastache were more compact and had more flowers per length of flowering spike than inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Heather Queen.
5. Foliage and flowers of plants of the new Agastache were much more fragrant than foliage and flowers of plants of the cultivar Heather Queen.